Snubbed truck



Nov. 10, 1959 F. E. BACHMAN ETAI- 2,911,923

SNUBBED TRUCK Filed Aug; 8. 1956 United States Patent SNUBBED TRUCK FredE. Bachman and Albert F. Seelig, Jr., St. Louis, Mo., assignors toAmerican Steel Foundries, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of New JerseyiApplication August 8, 1956, Serial No. 602,710

11 Claims. (Cl. 10S-197) The present invention relates to snubbed trucksfor railway freight cars.

An object of the invention is to provide novel means for controlling thevertical movement of the load carrying springs of a railway freight car.

Another object is to provide snubbing means embodying spring means ofrubber-like material, arranged so as to produce snubbing effect inproportion to the load imposed on the car.

A further object is to provide snubbing means of the foregoing generalcharacter, that is, of unusually simple and rugged construction.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will ap-' pear from thefollowing detail description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawing, in which:

Figure l is a side view of a portion of a railway car truck embodyingthe present invention, with portions shown in section;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure l, and

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the snubbing meansconstituting the subject matter of the invention included in Figure 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawing, the construction embodying theinvention is incorporated in a side frame indicated generally at 12which includes conventional construction elements. such as a compressionmember i4, tension member 16, and side columns 18 defining a bolsteropening 2i) therebetween. A bolster 22 is mounted in said opening onload carrying springs 24 in a conventional manner and as is Well known,the bolster moves or vibrates in a vertical plane. The movement of thebolster includes a vertical component and a transverse component i.e.,the movement is in a plane transverse to the side frame so that thetransverse movement mentioned is in a direction longitudinally of thebolster. For convenience in representation, Figure l shows a firstportion 22a of the bolster in the position assumed in the case of alight car and another portion 22b in the position it assumes in the caseof a loaded car.

The bolster 22, as seen in Figure 2, includes flanges or fork elements26 spaced longitudinally along the bolster and telescoping a portion 27of the column 18 of the side frame. These anges afford limiting meansfor transverse movement of the bolster by engaging the side portions ofthe side frame column. lt will be understood that the bolster has suchflanges 26 at each of opposite sides for receiving the respective sideframe columns. Between the flanges is a recess 28 at each side of thebolster which includes an inclined friction surface 30 (Figures l and 2)at the iioor of the recess, i.e., it extends transversely between thellanges.

Referring particularly to Figure 1, it will be observed that theinclined friction surface 30 faces generally in the direction of thecorresponding column 18. The latter has a vertical planar surface 32 onwhich is supported a wear plate 34 in a suitable manner, the wear plate34 dening a vertical friction surface 35 engaging a snubbing ice device36 which cooperates with the inclined friction surface 30 to snubvertical movement of the bolster relative to the side frame. Between andengaging these two friction surfaces is the snubbing means 36constituting the present invention. The. snubbing means 36 is shown inits entirety in Figure 3 and includes a spring element 38 and a shoe orcap 40. As bestseen in Figure 1, engagement of the cap 40 with the wearplate 34 alords lateral support for the snubbing means 36 along an areaofthe wear plate 34 which faces and is in horizontal alignment with theinclined bolster surface 3l). Thus, the

snubbing means 36 function to support a part of the bolster load and tothis extent may be regarded as bolster supporting spring means auxiliaryto thev springs 24. The spring member 38 is of rubber or rubber-likematerial. As such, it is yieldable in all directions uniformly. Any ofvarious knowr'ikinds of rubber, o'r rubber-like material havingyieldable characteristics similar to those of rubber, may be utilized.The cap 40 is of rigid material, such as steel.

The spring element 38 includes a body portion or column 42 which isdisposed vertically when assembled in place. On the bottom surface ofthe column portion is a projection or button 44 (Figure l) received inan aperture 46 in an element 48 of the side frame. In the upper end ofthe spring element 38 are side grooves 50 (Figure 2) disposed at anacute angle to the longitudinal axis of the spring member, defining aface portion 52 inclined at an angle similar to that of the grooves andextending generally laterally from the projection of the body portion42.

The shoe or cap 40 is shaped to lit over the upper end of the bodyportion 42 of the spring member, being of appropriately tapered shapefor the purpose, and it includes a side opening 54 between ribs 56. Thecap is fitted overY the spring member with the ribs 56 fitted in thegrooves 50, as shown best in Figure 1, and in this relation of theparts, the face portion 52 is exposed outwardly of the shoe.

It will be seen that one such spring means is disposed at each side ofthe bolster. Referring to the left portion of Figure l, the snubbingmeans 36 is interposed between'the bolster and side frame. The lower endof the body portion 42 is vertically supported on the element 48 of theside frame and the projection 44 is disposed in the aperture 46 asmentioned above. The upper end portion of the snubbing means 36 isinterposed or wedged between the friction surfaces 30 and 35. Theinclination of the face portion 52 is the same as or similar to that ofthe friction surface 38 and engages the latter. Thev surface 58 of theshoe opposite that of the inclined ribs 56 engages the friction surface35 of wear plate 34, being vertically disposed for that purpose.

The spring element in the uppermost position of the bolster is confinedin compression between the surface 30, wear plate 34 and frame element48. Upon downward movement of the bolster, the spring element 38 iscompressed in a downward direction (i.e. principally so, although it maybe compressed -in other directions also) to or Vtoward the positionindicated at the right hand portion of Figure 1. The spring element isshortened in vertical direction and the shoe or cap 40 moves vertically,ythe surface 58 sliding on the wear plate 34 in friction engagementtherewith.

Such downward movement of `the bolster and consequent furthercompression of the spring element results in increased resistanceproportional to the downward movement of the bolster. There may besliding movement between the face portion 52 and friction surface 30 ofthe bolster although thisV sliding movement is minor.

The friction between the latter two elements Iis quite great, theadhesion of thev resilient member playing a large part in suchresistance. Most of the sliding effect takes place between the surface58 opposite thereto and the wear plate 34, these `two elements being ofrigid malterial. Furthermore, they are vertically disposed and thus inthe plane of movement of the bolster.

AThe three points of engagement of the snubbing means, namely at theelement 4S, friction surface 30 and friction surface 35, define a directforce path having portions distributed in an Yarc of at least 180 andpreferably greater than that extent.

The greater portion of the snubbing action of the snubbing means 36 isin downward movement of the bolster, but there is substantial snubbingaction in upward movement thereof since the compression of the springelement is not completely lost, and hence the friction between the shoeor cap 40 and the wear plate 34 remain at a substantial value. For thisreason also snubbing action is accomplished in transverse direction.

The rubber or rubber-like spring member 38 is universally compressibleand provides a hysteresis effect resulting in greater effect in snubbingharmonic vibrations of the bolster supporting springs 24.

The snubbing means 36 at opposite sides of the bolster are, of course,effective for damping vibrations in directions longitudinally of theside frame.

We claim:

1. In a railway car truck, a side frame having spaced columns defining abolster opening, a bolster spring-supported in said opening and movablevertically therein, and spring means operatively interposed between saidbolster and side frame and including a rubber-like element havingsupport at its lower end on the side frame, and having its upper endwedged between a vertical surface on the side frame and an inclinedsurface on the bolster disposed in upwardly converging relation to thevertical surface, said spring means including a rigid cap on the upperend of said rubber-like element and interposed between the latter andsaid vertical surface and slidable on said vertical surface.

2. In a railway car truck, a side frame having spaced columns defining abolster opening, a bolster springsupported in said opening and movablevertically therein, and spring means operatively interposed between saidbolster and side frame and including a rubber-like element havingsupport at its lower end on the side frame, and having its upper endwedged between a vertical surface on the side frame and an inclinedsurface on the bolster disposed in upwardly converging relation to thevertical surface, said spring means including a rigid cap on the upperend of said rubber-like element and interposed between the latter andsaid vertical surface and slidable on said surface, the rubber-likeelement having a portion exposed through said cap and engaged with saidinclined surface.

3. In a railway car truck, a side frame having spaced columns defining abolster opening, a bolster springsupported in said opening and movablevertically therein, and spring means operatively interposed between saidbolster and side frame and including a rubber-like element havingsupport at its lower end on the side frame, and having its upper endwedged between a vertical surface on the side frame and an inclinedsurface on the bolster disposed in upwardly converging relation to thevertical surface, said spring means also including a rigid upwardlytapering cap on the upper end of the rubberlike element confining threesides of the latter and forming the portion f the spring means engagedwith said vertical surface and being slidable on the latter, the fourthside of the cap having an opening and ribs at the sides of the openingdisposed in grooves in a portion of `the rubber-like opening projectedthrough Ithe opening, the projected portion of the rubber-like elementVhaving a generally flat surface engaged with said inclined lsurface onthe bolster. l Y

4. A truck comprising a side frame having spaced co1- umns defining abolster opening, a bolster spring-supported in said opening and movablevertically therein, said columns having interfacing vertical surfacesand the bolster having a surface at each side inclined upwardly andtoward the corresponding vertical surface, and spring means at each sideof the bolster, each spring means including a rubber-like element, saidelement engaging said inclined surface on the bolster, `and a rigid capcarried by the element and interposed between the bolster and the sideframe, said cap and element contacting two areas on the side frame, thethree areas of engagement defining a direct force path having portionsdistributed in an arc of atleast 5. A truck comprising a side framehaving spaced columns defining a bolster opening, said columns havinginterfacing vertical friction surfaces, a bolster springsupported insaid opening and movable in a vertical plane transverse to the sideframe, said bolster having a recess on each side facing said columns andflange elements on opposite sides of each recess engageable withopposite sides of the side frame for limiting movement of the bolstertransversely of the frame, said bolster having an inclined surface oneach side in the corresponding recess and facing the correspondingvertical surface, and spring means at each side of the bolster includinga rubber-like spring element and a rigid cap on the upper end thereof,the spring means having vertical support in the side frame and havingits upper end wedged between said inclined and vertical surfaces, saidcap being disposed in said recess and confined thereby in directionstransversely of the side frame.

6. A railway car truck comprising a side frame member having a frictionsurface, a shoe member engaged therewith, a bolster member supported bythe side frame member, and a resilient mass engaging all said members,the bolster member being spaced from the shoe member by said mass.

7. A railway car truck comprising a side frame, a bolsterspring-supported by the side frame and having an inclined yside surface,and snubbing means including a resilient mass directly engaging saidinclined side surface and a side frame portion therebelow, said snubbingmeans comprising means slidably engaging another side frame portionwhich faces and is in horizontal alignment with said inclined surface.

8. A railway car truck comprising a side frame having a verticalfriction surface, a shoe having a friction surface engaged with thefriction surface on the side frame, a bolster structure spring-supportedby the side frame and having an inclined side surface, and a resilientmass compressed between the shoe, the inclined surface and another pointon the side frame.

9. A railway car truck comprising a side frame having a column partlydening a bolster opening, said column having a friction surface, abolster structure movably supported by said frame, friction shoe meanscarried by the side frame and engageable with said vertical surfaces,said shoe means comprising a resilient mass having vertical support fromthe side frame, said mass having its upper end wedged between saidvertical surface and bolster, a shoe carried by the upper end of saidmass, a portion of said mass being disposed without the shoe, and aninclined surface on said bolster, said shoe being engageable with saidvertical surface, said portion being engageable with said inclinedsurface.

l0. A railway truck, a side frame having spaced columns defining abolster opening, a bolster spring-supported in said opening and movablevertically therein, and spring means operatively interposed between saidbolster and side frame and including a rubber-like element havingsupport at its lower end on the side frame, said element having itsupper end wedged between a vertical surface on the side frame and aninclined surface on the bolster disposed in upwardly converging relationto the vertical surface, said spring means including a rigid cap on theupper end of said rubberlike element and interposed between the latterand said vertical surface and slidable on said vertical surface, therubber-like element having a portion exposed through said cap andengaged with said inclined surface, said portion being inclined at anangle similar to the angle of the inclined surface, said elementcomprising grooves, said cap having ribs disposed within said grooves,said grooves and ribs being disposed at an angle similar to the angle ofthe inclined surface.

11. In a railway car truck, a side frame having spaced columns defininga bolster opening, a bolster springsupported in said opening and movablevertically therein,

and snubbing means operatively interposed between said bolster and sideframe and including a rubber-like element, said rubber-like elementhaving support at its lower end on the side frame, said snubbing meanshaving lateral lsupport on a side frame column surface, said rubber-likeelement bearing against an inclined surface on the bolster disposed inupwardly converging relation to the column surface.

Hobson Aug. 13, 1940 Heater et al. May 29, 1956

